Kew Gardens: Winter Containers, Late Cuttings and Indicator Plants
Peter Gibbs and the GQT panel answer questions on making the most of winter containers, the latest time to take cuttings and which plants can act as indicators of soil conditions.
Peter Gibbs hosts Gardeners鈥� Question Time from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Joining Peter are Ashley Edwards, James Wong and Christine Walkden - a panel with strong Kew connections. They answer questions on when is the latest time you to take cuttings, how to identify male and female ginkgo trees, and how to make the most of winter containers.
The panellists also explore the growing appeal of perennial vegetables, discuss indicator plants as guides to soil conditions, and share some of their favourite plant stories - from giant corpse flowers and monkey puzzle trees to the first spring buds of hawthorn.
And James Wong goes behind the scenes at Kew鈥檚 iconic Palm House to discover how one of the world鈥檚 most important glasshouses is being prepared for its next chapter.
**NOTE** Comfrey was mentioned during this programme in a discussion about edible plants. Comfrey contains naturally occurring pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can be harmful to the liver if consumed. Although comfrey has a history of traditional culinary and medicinal use in various parts of the world, consumption is generally not recommended in the UK due to potential health risks, regardless of flower colour or variety
Producer: Matt Smith
Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for 91福利社 Radio 4
* If listening on 91福利社 Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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Plant List
Q1 鈥� 鈥淲hat is the latest time I can take cuttings?鈥�(02鈥�13鈥�)
鈥� Pelargonium (Pelargonium cultivars)鈥� Geranium (Geranium spp.)聽Q2 鈥� 鈥淗ow can you tell whether a ginkgo tree is male or female?鈥� (05鈥�54鈥�)
鈥� Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)聽Q3 鈥� 鈥淗ow can community gardens encourage people who don鈥檛 see growing as being for them?鈥� (09鈥�08鈥�)
Christine Walkden
鈥� Vegetables (various species)Ashley Edwards
鈥� Orchard fruit trees (various species)James Wong
鈥� Magnolia (Magnolia spp.)鈥� Marigold (Tagetes spp.)聽Feature 鈥� The Future of Kew鈥檚 Palm House 鈥� James Wong speaks to Curator of Living Collections, Alex Summers (13鈥�45鈥�)
Plants Mentioned
鈥� Cycad (Encephalartos altensteinii)聽鈥� Ficus (Ficus spp.).聽Q4 鈥� 鈥淗ow useful are indicator plants in assessing soil?鈥�(19鈥�09鈥�)
Q5 鈥� 鈥淲hat can I grow in large terracotta pots over winter?鈥� (21鈥�49鈥�)
Christine Walkden
鈥� Tulip (Tulipa cultivars)Ashley Edwards
鈥� Sweet box (Sarcococca confusa)鈥� Daphne (Daphne odora 'Marginata')鈥� Hellebore (Helleborus cultivars)James Wong
鈥� Sphagnum moss (Sphagnum spp.)鈥� Mind-your-own-business (Soleirolia soleirolii)鈥� Wire vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa)鈥� Tulip (Tulipa cultivars)鈥� Crocus (Crocus cultivars)鈥� Snowdrop (Galanthus spp.)鈥� Daffodil (Narcissus cultivars)聽Q6 鈥� 鈥淲hich perennial vegetables would you recommend for a low-maintenance allotment?鈥�(28鈥�49鈥�)
James Wong
鈥� Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum)鈥� Borage (Borago officinalis)鈥� Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)聽鈥� Calendula (Calendula officinalis)鈥� New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonoides)鈥� Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)鈥� Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)鈥� Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.)Ashley Edwards
鈥� Chayote / Chow Chow (Sechium edule)Christine Walkden
鈥� Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)聽Q7 鈥� 鈥淲hat plant stories help people connect with horticulture?鈥� (36鈥�17鈥�)
Jane Rogers 鈥� Community Horticulture lead at Kew
鈥� Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)鈥� Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis)鈥� Lichens (various species)Christine Walkden
鈥� Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)鈥� Onion (Allium cepa)Ashley Edwards
鈥� Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum)James Wong
鈥� Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)鈥� Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis)鈥� Monkey puzzle (Araucaria araucana)Comfrey was mentioned during today's programme in a discussion about edible plants. Comfrey contains naturally occurring pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can be harmful to the liver if consumed.
Although comfrey has a history of traditional culinary and medicinal use in various parts of the world, consumption is generally not recommended in the UK due to potential health risks, regardless of flower colour or variety.
Broadcasts
- Fri 9 Oct 2026 15:0091福利社 Radio 4
- Sun 11 Oct 2026 14:0091福利社 Radio 4
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Gardeners' Question Time
Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts